October half-term at The Vyne 2017

Visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in 1535, you can explore The Vyne’s rooftop walkway and take in the restoration work to this former Tudor palace. Make your mark on over 500 years of history by tagging a tile to go on the new roof. Young adventurers will love roaming the woods hunting for geocaches or wandering the gardens on the Children’s Tudor Animal Trail.

Rooftop walkway closed as house reappears from under 41 miles of scaffolding

Our walkway which delighted thousands of visitors during a £5.4m roof project closed in February 2018 so that the scaffolding could come down. To everyone who joined us on the walkway and supported the project, we give our heartfelt thanks for helping us rescue The Vyne for ever, for everyone.

Untold stories revealed at The Vyne

This year, our ambitious roof conservation project has given us an exciting opportunity to shine a spotlight on untold stories from The Vyne’s past. Using music, animation and audio we’re bringing intriguing moments from the mansion’s history to life.

Daily self-led trails and activities

On this family trail running until 30 September, help recover and fit together jigsaw pieces of oriental tapestries hidden in nooks and crannies across the grounds. Pick up your trail sheet at visitor reception.

Deer, horses and falcons are just some of the creatures you may have seen if you’d visited The Vyne in 1535. See if you can spot the animals that played an important part in Tudor life as you explore the gardens.

Intrepid explorers can download the Geocaching® app from geocaching.com/play before casting themselves back to the sixteenth century with our Tudor-themed geocaches.

Useful to know:

Unfortunately ball games, Frisbees, bikes, scooters and drones aren't allowed on the estate. This is to prevent further damage to the house and grounds.

Don’t worry, there’s still fun instore with our 50 things to do before you’re 11 and ¾. Some activities are listed in the article below. If you really want to let off steam, venture out into Morgaston Woods where wild play can fire young imaginations.

50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ at The Vyne in autumn

Dogs
Although the house, rooftop walkway, shop, tea-room and children’s play area are just for humans and guide dogs there are plenty of walks for you and your canine companion to do together.

So that everyone can enjoy their visit to The Vyne, we ask that you please keep your dog on the lead at all times and use the bins provided.

Dogs on a lead are welcome.

National Trust Images/Karen Legg

Dogs on a lead are welcome.

When it’s raining
Pack your woollies, waterproofs wellies; even if you’re not going for a walk outside, remember it’s a ten minute walk up to the house from Visitor Reception.

Indoor places
Visitor Reception will be able to provide you with any tickets needed to go inside the house. If it’s particularly wet outside, you might be asked to wear blue plastic shoe covers as you enter the house. This is to help protect the historic interiors. The tag a tile area and rooftop walkway is covered, you can also pop into the cosy Brewhouse tearoom for hot drinks and snacks.

Outdoor places
If you want to embrace the wet weather, there are a range of waymarked paths leading through Morgaston Woods for you to explore. Remember, the water level in the lake rises when it rains. This is perfect for a game of pooh sticks. And if you’re feeling particularly ‘Ray Mears’ you can get stuck in building yourself a den amongst the trees.

Key information for families

Toilets and baby changing
If you find yourself making a hasty dash, child in tow to the loo, you’ll find baby changing facilities and toilets in a block on the left, just after visitor reception, and also by our Brewhouse tea-room.

If you're in the walled garden, your nearest toilets are the ones near visitor reception which you can quickly access through a doorway by the glasshouse. This also your nearest block if you're in the play area on the Lime Avenue.

If you're in the house, shop, on the rooftop walkway, or in the woods, you're nearest toilets are by the Brewhouse.

Just so you know, the Brewhouse toilets and tea-room have separate entrances. You have to go out of the tea-room and round the corner to find the toilets.

Access for pushchairs
You can get round the gardens on wide, hard gravel pathways. Do bear in mind that walkways through the woodland, wetland and parkland can be muddy. In some parts of the woodland, tree roots come across the path.

The rooftop walkway is buggy and wheelchair-friendly and lift-accessible. Due to fire safety regulations, the number of buggies and wheelchairs on the walkway is limited to three at any one time.

As the Brewhouse tearoom is rather snug, you’ll need to leave buggies and pushchairs outside.

In the house, we can provide slings whilst pushchairs are left in covered alcoves in the tunnel leading to the entrance. Items are left at your own risk.

Food for children
Our Brewhouse tea-room does child portions. We also have childrens’ lunch boxes containing sandwiches, wraps, small vegetable bags, fruit, mini cheeses and cartons of drink.

If you need to warm up milk, a microwave is available in the ground floor seating area of the Brewhouse.

Play areas
Very young visitors can enjoy a play space just off the Lime Avenue. Here you'll find inflatable toys and plastic cars for your little tot to play on.